Shattered bones mended by stem cells in British scientific discovery

A revolutionary stem-cell treatment for repairing previously untreatable broken bones has been developed by British scientists.

They have taken patients' stem cells and turned them into bone or cartilage cells before returning them to the body inside a protective "scaffold".

This technique dramatically speeds up the healing process.

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Doctors believe it could have a major impact on treating injuries, especially among the elderly.

Other beneficiaries could be accident victims whose bones have been shattered almost beyond repair, patients with degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis and athletes who want a fast recovery.

Stem cells are the body's building blocks, with the ability to change into any other type, such as liver cells or skin cells.

Scientists take them from a patient's bone marrow and turn them into the cells that form bone or cartilage.

The Edinburgh breakthrough involves creating a "bioactive scaffold" made of a rigid mesh structure, giving them a stable environment for growth.

The team also wants to take the stem cells from blood, avoiding the need for surgery.

Dr Brendon Noble, of the university's Medical Research Centre for Regenerative Medicine, said the scaffold could change how fractures and cartilage conditions are cared for around the world, adding: "This is a novel approach."

A £1.4million study at Edinburgh University will pave the way to clinical trials by 2010.